A new law in Russia allows the Federal Security Service to request internet providers to slow down or completely shut off connections for users, according to reports. For several months, internet has sometimes disappeared in virtually all Russian regions, and now the problems have reached major cities. Russian authorities have restricted mobile data usage in Moscow and other major cities since March 5, and in Moscow, mobile internet has recently been completely or partially down. This escalation marks a significant shift, as Moscow had previously avoided widespread mobile data restrictions during the Ukraine war.
Authorities explain the shutdowns as being for citizens' security, with a common explanation being to make it easier to handle Ukrainian drones, but no details are given. The disruptions began a couple of weeks ago and are justified by the Ukraine war and security factors. The Kremlin defends shut-offs as necessary to protect from Ukrainian drones that use cellphone towers for navigation, and frontline troops are banned from using Telegram due to lack of security improvements. Russian authorities say internet connectivity is used in Ukrainian drone attacks, though they often avoid mentioning 'Ukraine'. The restrictions are justified as security-related actions, and the Kremlin said the restrictions are designed to 'ensure security,' without providing details.
When the mobile network is shut down, most things in a digitalized society are affected, such as inability to pay in stores, use public transport, use maps, or communicate digitally. Millions of Russians have lost access to popular apps for services like taxi rides, parking payments, and food ordering. People in Moscow are unable to pay online bills, message co-workers, or book taxis. Some are forced to ask strangers for directions due to lack of online maps, and remote workers fill cafes seeking stable Wi-Fi. In some regions, pharmacies closed due to offline medicine-tracking systems, and diabetic children's sensors failed to transmit glucose levels. The move has caused mayhem for businesses, with some closing and taxi drivers and couriers unable to navigate.
Since mobile internet in Moscow has been completely or partially shut down, sales of phone directories, walkie-talkies, and regular maps have surged. Sales of walkie-talkies, pagers, landline phones, and other internet-independent communication devices have risen sharply in Moscow in March. Paper map sales, especially road maps, have increased by up to 170%. Sales of walkie-talkies rose by 27%, pagers by 73%, and demand for paper maps of Moscow nearly tripled. Moscow-24 reported a surge in demand for printed atlases, travel guides, and alternative communication devices. The Bolshoi Theater has asked customers to print tickets or save images on phones before shows. Losses from the internet shutdown in Moscow could reach about 1 billion rubles ($12.6 million) a day, and the problems cost Moscow businesses 50 million euros per week.
When nothing else works, apps and services from the so-called White List, such as Russian Facebook VKontakte and the communication app Max, can sometimes function, marketed as an alternative to Telegram when blocked by Russian surveillance authorities. Analysts claim this is a trial of a nationwide system to limit information and hamper connectivity, inspired by authoritarian countries like Iran. Russia has been testing a system used by Iran during protests, with VIPs using 'white SIM cards' to maintain connections. A 'white list' of government-approved sites remains accessible, including government portals, state media, and Russian apps like Max. Human rights activists say the shutdown could be linked to testing a 'whitelist' system that would dramatically censor web access. Officials said the 'whitelist' includes 'all resources needed for life,' but observers say it censors access. The purpose is to create a state-controlled parallel internet, similar to China's system, but Russian alternatives are subpar and transparent to security services.
Messaging apps like WhatsApp and Telegram have been targeted, with schools forced to use Max, which lacks encryption. The government is pushing Russians to join the state-supported messaging app Max, which will be pre-installed on all phones sold in Russia from September 1. Authorities have blocked mobile internet, jammed messenger services, and granted powers to cut off mass communications. Decisions have been made to restrict access to an unspecified number of foreign platforms. Apple removed some products from the Russian App Store after government demands, targeting messaging and VPN services. VPN is not banned in Russia yet, but advertising for it is prohibited. By mid-January, Russia blocked over 400 VPNs, 70% more than late last year. Many young Russians change VPNs daily as authorities take them down. Russia is set to intensify its crackdown on VPNs to reduce usage, according to Digital Minister Maksut Shadayev.
The Kremlin is stepping up testing of systems designed to limit online information access, with mobile internet cut off for millions in Russia. The Russian state has used Telegram for propaganda and surveillance, making the shutdown ahead of fall parliamentary elections notable. Opposition at the national level is essentially eradicated, while some local opposition is allowed to benefit the Kremlin. According to the Institute for the Study of War, the regime is trying to prevent domestic criticism and dampen discontent ahead of possible new conscriptions, with an eye on the 2026 Duma election. Russia has for years tried to control the digital public sphere, using ad hoc solutions like blocking resources and slowing down YouTube. Since the 2022 invasion, Russia introduced repressive laws mandating censorship and bolstering FSB influence. The recent network disruptions are part of the regime's quest for control, particularly targeting Telegram.
Rumors circulating in Moscow claim that Vladimir Putin is worried about a possible coup attempt organized by the faction of Sergei Shoigu. The Kremlin's anxiety has prompted authorities to partially disable internet access in central Moscow, especially near sensitive military and security installations. Vladimir Putin has blocked mobile internet across Moscow amid concerns his enemies hacked his state surveillance apparatus, following a similar breach in Iran. The still-unverified claims were broadcast by the Telegram channel VChK-OGPU, which is known for contacts within Russian security services. Sergei Shoigu lost his position as defense minister overseeing the war in Ukraine in May 2024 but was reassigned as secretary of the Kremlin's security council. Shoigu had long been regarded as a close associate of Vladimir Putin, but relations between them have reportedly deteriorated in recent months.
The Kremlin fears a coup attempt by Sergei Shoigu's clan.
Several figures connected to Shoigu have faced a wave of purges, arrests, and prison sentences over allegations of corruption and financial misconduct. Former deputy defense minister Ruslan Tsalikov was recently detained, with investigators believing he accumulated nearly $64 million in family wealth through corrupt practices. Speculation has grown that Shoigu himself might soon face arrest or removal, but he is believed to maintain substantial support within the defense ministry and intelligence services. Shoigu has not been publicly seen or quoted since 5 March, the same day mobile communication disruptions began in Moscow. The claim originates with the VChK-OGPU channel, which acknowledges it is merely a 'conspiracy theory' from an undisclosed source. The cornerstone of the theory is that recent internet outages in Moscow coincided with the arrest of former deputy defense minister Ruslan Tsalikov. Tsalikov is the fourth former deputy defense minister to face indictment since Shoigu was dismissed as defense minister in May 2024.
A similar communications shutdown occurred during the aborted June 2023 rebellion led by former Putin ally Yevgeny Prigozhin. Shoigu serves as secretary of the security council, an honorary title without much financial or infrastructural leverage, according to analysts. Experts have dismissed the coup rumors as unlikely, questioning whether there is a significant player left to lead such an attempt.
Russian anger towards authorities is growing due to ongoing internet and Telegram disruptions. Citizens suspect it is a campaign to suppress freedom of expression and criticize that everyday services like payments and taxi bookings do not work. Russians vented anger on Roskomnadzor's VKontakte page on Women's Day over internet shutdowns. The outages reached Russia's parliament, the State Duma, where lawmakers complained of no mobile networks or Wi-Fi. Russians have taken to social media to mock Vladimir Putin after internet services were cut, with humorous videos showing alternative uses for phones.
In Moscow, users report that internet works worst around the power center, the Kremlin. Mobile data functionality varies by neighborhood in Moscow and can change suddenly. Some residents report complete loss of mobile internet in their areas, affecting even 'whitelist' services like government sites and banking apps. Fixed internet and mobile networks stopped working in some areas over the weekend. Muscovites have suffered significant mobile network problems for two weeks, starting March 5, with issues spreading widely in the city and reported in St. Petersburg. Users in Moscow and St. Petersburg reported major mobile internet outages in recent days.
Russia ranked first globally for internet disruptions in 2025. People across the country have faced mobile internet shutdowns for months, with more than 11,900 outages nationwide over the past seven months. Ukraine uses jammers to disrupt GPS signals but does not shut down internet like Russia, reflecting Ukrainian openness.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitri Peskov said mobile data restrictions will continue in Moscow. Putin spends more time in the Kremlin, including overnight stays, according to sources. He blocked Telegram on Russia's frontline in Ukraine, though it is key for troop communication, and troops have lost Starlink connection. Putin has been holding secret meetings in the Kremlin not reported to Russians. Enhanced security with armed FSB officers and electronic warfare vehicles is seen around the Kremlin.
Moscow State University advised Russians to navigate using the North Star when phone maps do not work. Novaja Gazeta views the latest outages as the Kremlin's effort to restrict access to services like WhatsApp and Telegram.
The specific technical methods or systems being tested by Russian authorities during the internet shutdowns remain unclear, and the evidence supporting the claim that Ukrainian drones use cellphone towers for navigation has not been publicly disclosed. The number of people directly affected by the outages in terms of lost business, health issues, or daily inconveniences is also unknown, as are any verified instances of security breaches or surveillance hacks that might have prompted the restrictions.
Unresolved questions include whether there have been surveillance hacks similar to those alleged in Iran, what the current status and influence of Sergei Shoigu is within the Russian government, and what the long-term strategy of the regime entails for digital control. The lack of information has spurred conspiracy theories about a coup and measures from the 1990s, including political proposals for phone booth-like internet solutions and increased sales of physical maps and walkie-talkies. Businesses and residents have complained about persistent internet outages and the blocking of key messaging platforms such as Telegram. Residents in Moscow and St. Petersburg have been unable to communicate, resorting to walkie-talkies, pagers, and paper maps during the internet blackout.